Power-driven sewer cleaner



Jan. 20, 1953 M. JURASEVICH 2,625,699

POWER-DRIVEN SEWER CLEANER Filed Dec. 16, 1949 INVENTOR Mitchel! L.J'zu'a seuich BY MM ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER-DRIVEN SEWER CLEANER Mitche L. .Iurasevich. Alturas. Calif.. assignor to Elsie M. Jurasevich, Alturas, Calif.

Application December 16, 1949, Serial No. 133,358

7 Claims.

This invention relates in general to plumbing or sewer cleaning apparatus.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is an ob ect to pro ide, a novel sewer cleaner of power driven, flexible cable or snake type.

Another obiect of the invention is to provide a sewer cleaner, of the tvpe described, wherein the flexible cable is normally threaded or wound within a case for transport from place to place: there being power driven mechanism associated with the case operative to extrude the cable from the case with a rotary motion, or to retract the cable into the case.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sewer cleaner, as above, wherein said power driven mechanism comprises a novel combination of a rotary mandrel, a traveler on the mandrel, and an internally helically grooved guide cyl nder about the mandrel for guiding the flexible cable into. or out of, said cylinder when the cable is being retracted or extruded by corres onding motion of the traveler.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a power driven, flexible cable type sewer cleaner which is manually portable, and convenient to use; the device being fast-working and reliable in operation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a power driven sewer cleaner which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical sewer cleaner, and one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the device, foreshortened.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises an outer cylindrical case I which is axially elongated; such case preferably being of two-part construction for ease of initial assembly, or consequent disassembly, for the purpose of replacement of the hereinafter described cable. The case I is fitted with a front endbell 2 and a rear endbell 3; there being a pistol-grip handle 4 secured to and projecting from said rear endbell 3.

In the rear end portion thereof the case I is fitted with a reversible electric motor 5 which such structure and relative arrangement of is adapted to be controlled by an "on-off switch trigger 6 on the pistol-grip handle 4. Additionally, the pistol-grip handle 4 is fitted with a reversing switch trigger 1. Both the triggers 6 and I are disposed for easy finger manipulation from the handle 4; the latter being fitted, at its lower or outer end, with a power cord receptacle 8.

The reversible electric motor 5 includes an axially forwardly projecting shaft 9 which extends, in free turning relation'through a pinion ID of a planetary gear a sembly which includes planetary gears II in mesh between said pinion I0 and an internal ring gear I2 fixed in the case I.

The following slip-clutch drive is employed between the shaft 9 and pinion I0:'

A friction driving disc I3 bears against the rear face of the pinion I0 and is splined to. the shaft 9, as indicated at M; such friction driving disc I3 being urged into driving engagement with the pin on III by means of a pressure spring I5. With this arrangement the motor 5 is normally coupled in driving engagement with the pinion I I], but under overload conditions the disc [3 will slip on said pinion. The planetary gear assembly, including the planetary gears I I, drives the rear end of a rotary mandrel I6 disposed in, and extending the full len th of, the case I ahead of said assembly. The planetary gears II are connected, in driving relation to the rear end of the rotary mandrel [6, by studs I'I threaded into said mandrel, as at I8.

The rotary mandrel I 6 is surrounded by a full len th guide sleeve l9 fitted in the case I and likewise of two-part construction. The rear end portion of the rotary mandrel IB is formed as an enlarged cylindrical bearing 20 which runs with a relatively close flt in the guide sleeve I9. Ahead of the enlarged cylindrical bearing 20 the rotary mandrel IB is reduced in diameter, as shown, whereby to provide a circumferential space 2| between said reduceddiameter portion of the mandrel and the guide sleeve I9.

The guide sleeve I9 is formed, internally, with a helical groove 22, and a relatively stiff but flexible cable 23 of spiral wound, spring steel type, is normally disposed in wound or threaded relation in the guide sleeve I9, with the turns resting in the helical groove 22.

At its forward end portion the relatively still but flexible cable 23 leads from the outer end of the guide sleeve I9 through a cable guide grommet 24 mounted centrally in the front endbell 2, and ahead of said grommet the cable is fitted with a sewer cleaning head 25.

The rotary mandrel I6 is formed with an axial bore 26, and a radial slot 21 which extends from said bore to the periphery of the mandrel, for the full length of the reduced-diameter portion of the latter.

A traveler, indicated generally at 28, runs in said bore 26 and slot 21; such traveler comprising a slide 29 in the bore 26 and a radial finger 30 fixed on said slide and projecting radially out of the slot 21 to a termination adjacent but short of the helically grooved guide sleeve I9. At its projecting end the radial finger 30 is attached, as at 3|, to the inner end of the flexible cable 23.

In starting position the traveler Z8 is retracted, with substantially all of the flexible cable 23 threaded into the guide sleeve 19.

For use of the device, the reversible electric motor 5 is run in a direction which causes the traveler 28 to thrust on the cable 23 in a direc- .1 .1 to causesuch cable to unthread or unwind from the sleeve l9 and to extrude through the grommet 2'4 with a rotary motion.

As the cable 23 runs out of the device with a rotary motion, the cleaning head 25 is directed into the sewer part to be cleaned. By the simple manipulation of the reversing switch trigger 7, the cable 23, together with the cleaning head 25, can be caused to run back and forth in the sewer part. to assure of most efiective cleaning action.

When the cleaning operation is completed the motor 5 is run in a direction which causes the traveler 28 to retract the cable 23--with a winding actioninto the guide sleeve 8; the cable threading intov theheli-cal groove 22 in properly wound relation.

The slip clutch drive between the motor 5 and the pinion i0. is operative to prevent damage to said motor should the sewer cleaning head 25 jam a ainst rotation or other overload being placed upon the working parts during operation thereof.

The described device is readily manually portable, convenient to manipulate and use, and powerful and fast in its action. Thus, the device is extremely useful for cleaning all types of sewer lines, including plumbing fittings, such as traps, etc,

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to, as do, not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A power driven sewer cleaner comprising a relatively stiff but flexible cable having a sewer cleaning element on its outer end, a case, having an opening through which the cable passes into said case rearwardly of said element, means in the case forming a helical groove internally therein, said groove receiving the cable in guided, wound-in relation, and power driven mechanism in the case in connection with the cable operative to cause the latter to unwind from the helical groove and extrude through said opening, or to retract through said opening and rewind in the helical groove; said power mechanism including a reversibly driven rotary mandrel extending axially of the helical groove, and a traveler on the mandrel connected to the inner end of the cable.

2. A power driven sewer cleaner comprising a relatively stiff but flexible cable having a sewer cleaning element on its outer end, a cylindrical case having an axial-end opening through which the cable passes into the case rearwardly of said element, a cable guide sleeve in the case having a helical groove internally therein receiving the cable in wound-in relation, a rotary mandrel extending axially in the sleeve spaced from said groove and the wound-in cable, a traveler on the mandrel movable lengthwise thereof, said traveler being connected to the inner end of the cable, and power means to reversibly drive the mandrel.

3. A power driven sewer cleaner comprising a relatively stiff but flexible cable having a sewer cleaning element on its outer end, a cylindrical case having an axial-end opening through which the cable passes into the case rearwardly of said element, a cable guide sleeve in the case having a helical groove internally therein receiving the cable in wound-in relation, a rotary mandrel extending axially in the sleeve spaced from said groove and the wound-in cable, a traveler on the mandrel movable lengthwise thereof, said traveler being connected to the inner end of the cable, and an electric motor in the case connected to the mandrel and arranged to reversibly drive the same.

4. A power driven sewer cleaner comprising a relatively stifi but flexible cable having a sewer cleaning element on its outer end, a cylindrical case having an axial-end opening through which the cable passes into the case rearwardly of said element, a cable guide sleeve in the case having a helical groove internally therein receiving the cable in wound-in relation, a rotary mandrel extending axially in the sleeve spaced from said groove and the wound-in cable, a traveler on the mandrel movable lengthwise thereof, said traveler being connected to the inner end of the cable, and an electric motor in the case connected to the mandrel and arranged to reversibly drive the same; there being a slip-clutch drive between the motor and mandrel.

5. A power driven sewer cleaner comprising a relatively stifi but flexible cable having a sewer cleaning element on its outer end, a cylindrical case having an axial-end opening through which the cable passes into the case rearwardly of said element, a cable guide sleeve in the case having a helical groove internally therein receiving the cable in wound-in relation, a rotary mandrel extending axially in the sleeve spaced from said groove and the wound-in cable, the rear end portion of the mandrel having bearing support in the sleeve, a traveler on the mandrel movable lengthwise thereof, said traveler being connected to the inner end of the cable, a reversible electric motor in the rear end of the case, and driving connections between the motor and mandrel.

6. A power driven sewer cleaner comprising a relatively stiff but flexible cable having a sewer cleaning element on the outer end, a cylindrical case having an axial-end opening through which the cable passes into the case rearwardly of said element, a cable guide sleeve in the case having a helical groove internally therein receiving the cable in wound-in relation, a rotary mandrel extending axially in the sleeve spaced from the groove and the wound-in cable, the rear end portion of the mandrel having bearing support in 5 6 the sleeve, a traveler on the mandrel movable lengthwise thereof, said traveler being connected REFERENCES CITED I to the inner end of the cable, a reversible electric The f ll in references are f record in the motor in the rear end of the case, and a planetary fil f this patent;

F ieealrl'diglslembly between the electric motor and 0 UNITED STATES PATENTS 7. A sewer cleaner, as in claim 6, in which the Number Name Date motor includes a shaft, and said planetary gear 2,279,769 Horst Apr. 14, 1942 assembly includes a pinion turnable on the shaft; 2,344,490 Brach Mar. 21, 1944 there being a slip-clutch drive between the shaft 10 2,466,493 Sketchley Apr. 5, 1949 and pinion.

MITCHELL L. JURASEVICH. 

